There was early morning chaos on Highway 401 as commuters tried to get to work with some giving up and turning back due to “terrible” driving conditions.
“Stay home if possible. I set out around 6:30 [am] and turned around after two exits. Can’t see the lanes, some are going way too fast and others way too slow. Not a good driving day,” said a Durham commuter.
Another concurred. “Stay home if you can! 18-wheelers please stop passing other 18-wheelers in these conditions. Get a clue…”
Another commuter too turned back. “I just did the same thing. Turned around and came home.”
Others thanked the alerts. “Thank you for sharing I will not attempt it.”
“Thanks everyone. Tried it…turned around,” said another
A commuter reported: “Went from Bowmanville to Oshawa and highway was terrible.”
“It’s all bad, everything is bad,” said another.
Schools Open With Limited Or No Transport
However schools in Durham run by the Durham District School Board (DDSB) and Kawartha Pine Ride District School Board (KPRDSB) were open, even though most buses were cancelled leaving parents with the option to drop and pick up their school-going children.
“Buses are cancelled in Zones 1 (Brock area), 2 (Uxbridge area) and 3 (Scugog area) for morning and afternoon. Buses are running in Zone 4 (Whitby, Oshawa, Pickering, Ajax). All elementary and secondary schools remain open,” said a DDSB alert.
“Please note all transportation for KPR schools canceled today. Schools are open,” said a KPRDSB alert.
The neighbouring York Region District School Board closed all schools. “Due to emergency weather, transportation services are cancelled and all schools and board locations are closed to students today, January 15, 2026. PARENTS Do NOT send your child to school today.”
Municipal Warnings
Almost all Durham municipalities issued winter weather warnings and till late yesterday had a backlog of snow clearing operations. Most were open for business and advised patience due to high number of calls.
Pickering reported a glitch in its Interactive Winter Operations Map. “Until this issue has been resolved, please do not rely on the map for current road conditions.”
Though no power outages were reported, Elexicon the utility provider, said: “The snow continues to come down throughout much of our service territory. This kind of weather can bring down poles, weigh down trees, and create hazardous conditions.”
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